The present invention relates to targets, and more particularly, to multi-layered, durable archery targets.
Archery targets come in a variety of configurations. Most targets are designed to: (a) safely stop and retain arrows; (b) facilitate arrow extraction; and (c) be relatively low in cost, durable and easily maintained. Where targets are used by multiple users at archery ranges and/or pro shops, or implemented in testing procedures by archery component manufacturers, the foregoing design objectives are especially important.
Two primary targets are in use today. The first is what is referred to as a “bag target,” which generally includes a burlap or plastic exterior in the shape of a bag. The exterior includes one or more target faces. An internal batting is stuffed into the interior of the bag. Bag targets usually include a hanger or a support rod protruding from the top or sides of the bag, respectively, to support it.
Although the bag target is generally suitable for occasional use, with extended use and multiple shots, the burlap and internal batting quickly wears out, which reduces the effectiveness of the target's arrow-stopping ability. More specifically, the individual woven strands of the burlap target face tend to be impacted by the point of arrow. After multiple impacts, individual strands are abraded, eventually causing the strand to break into two or more separate sections, which deteriorates the target face. Further, with conventional exteriors, the individual strands tend to separate after penetration by an arrow, and stay separated. If this occurs repeatedly, the strands can separate enough to create a hole through which the batting can fall out of the bag, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the bag target. Finally, some conventional bag targets tend to be less capable of quickly stopping arrows shot from faster-shooting, modern archery bows.
A second, primary type of target is referred to as a “layered foam target.” In this construction, thin layers or sheets of foam are placed atop one another to form a cube of the layered foam. The cube includes a metal band or a plastic film that wraps tightly around the foam layers to compress the foam sheets and hold them together. The completed cube includes a target face formed by the ends of the foam sheets. Although this construction proves to be somewhat better at stopping high speed arrows than conventional bag targets, it tends to wear out because the impact of arrows striking the target face damages the individual layers of foam, and after time, creates holes in the target face. Moreover, with some extremely fast arrows shot from modern bows, the foam can melt on the arrow, which can change its trajectory and thus decrease shooting accuracy.
In view of conventional archery targets, there exists a long-felt, unsolved need to provide an arrow target that is durable, that includes a quickly and repeatedly healing target face, and that can stop very fast arrows.